Shloka 18

पर्वत उनकी हड्डियाँ हैं, पृथ्वी उनका मेद और मांस है। समुद्र उनका रुधिर है और आकाश उदर है ।। पवनश्चैव निः:श्वासस्तेजो 5ग्निर्निम्नगा: शिरा: । अग्नीषोमोौ तु चन्द्रार्कों नयने तस्य विश्रुते,वायु नि:श्वास है, अग्नि तेज है, नदियाँ नाड़ियाँ हैं, सूर्य और चन्द्रमा जिन्हें अग्नि और सोम भी कहते हैं, ब्रह्माजीके नेत्रोंके रूपमें प्रसिद्ध हैं

parvatā asya asthīni, pṛthivī meda-māṃse; samudrāḥ rudhiraṃ, ākāśaṃ udaram. pavanaś caiva niḥśvāsaḥ, tejo 'gnir, nimnagāḥ śirāḥ; agnīṣomau tu candrārkau, nayane tasya viśrute.

Gió là hơi thở của Ngài; lửa là ánh quang huy của Ngài; các dòng sông là mạch huyết của Ngài. Mặt trời và mặt trăng—cũng được gọi là Agni và Soma—được truyền tụng là đôi mắt của Brahmā.

पवनःwind
पवनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपवन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
निःश्वासःbreath (exhalation)
निःश्वासः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिःश्वास
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तेजःsplendor/energy
तेजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतेजस्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
अग्निःfire
अग्निः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निम्नगाःrivers (those that flow downward)
निम्नगाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिम्नगा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
शिराःveins/channels
शिराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिरा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
अग्नीषोमौAgni and Soma
अग्नीषोमौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि-सोम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
चन्द्रार्कौthe Moon and the Sun
चन्द्रार्कौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचन्द्र-अर्क
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
नयनेtwo eyes
नयने:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनयन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual
तस्यof him/of that (being)
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
विश्रुतेwell-known/famed
विश्रुते:
TypeAdjective
Rootविश्रुत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Dual

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
B
Brahma (cosmic person/universal form)
M
Mountains
E
Earth
O
Oceans
S
Sky/Space (Akasha)
W
Wind (Vayu)
F
Fire (Agni)
R
Rivers
S
Sun (Surya/Arka)
M
Moon (Chandra)
S
Soma

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches a vision of the universe as a single sacred body: natural features and cosmic forces correspond to limbs and functions of the cosmic Person. Ethically, it encourages reverence toward the world and recognition of underlying unity rather than fragmentation.

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on higher knowledge and dharma after the war. Here he uses a cosmic-body metaphor to explain how the elements and celestial powers are integrated within the universal form (often associated with Brahmā or the cosmic Person).